Leadership

Joseph B. Morton – Chairman and President

Dr. Morton was selected by the Alabama State Board of Education to be Alabama’s 36th State Superintendent of Education on July 13, 2004. He served in this capacity for seven years. Prior to the appointment as State Superintendent of Education, Dr. Morton served for eight years as Deputy State Superintendent of Education. Dr. Morton has a B.S. degree from Auburn University and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from The University of Alabama.

As Deputy and State Superintendent of Education Dr. Morton guided the creation and implementation of the Alabama Reading Initiative; the Alabama Math, Science, and Technology Initiative; the Alabama Connecting Classrooms, Educators, and Students Statewide (Distance Education) Initiative; and FIRST CHOICE (a new graduation plan for Alabama’s students). While serving as State Superintendent of Education, Alabama showed significant academic gains in reading and math assessment scores and was judged a national leader in training future teachers and principals. Alabama is considered a national leader in student nutrition. In 2008 Dr. Morton was given a national award by the State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA): the “State Policymaker Award.” In 2010 Alabama had the largest gain in the nation in Advanced Placement enrollments and students scoring 3-5 on AP exams and had the third highest gain in the nation on increasing the high school graduation rate.

Dr. Morton retired on September 1, 2011.

Jay Love – Finance Chairman

Jay Love is a small businessman and former state legislator who served in the Alabama House of Representatives from 2002 – 2013.

During his legislative service, he chaired the powerful and influential Ways and Means Education Committee, which is responsible for allocating almost $6 billion in funding to K – 12 public schools, community colleges and public universities throughout Alabama.

As chairman, Love drafted three education budgets that funded essential public education programs without the need for proration, and helped secure the largest expansion in Alabama history for Alabama’s top ranked voluntary Pre-K program which will enable an additional 1,670 four-year-olds the opportunity to attend a high quality Pre-K.
In 2006, Love was the architect of legislation that raised the state tax threshold and resulted in the first middle-class income tax cut in Alabama in 70 years.

Love was the Republican nominee for Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District seat after defeating a crowded primary field in 2008, and he was a featured speaker at the Republican National Convention on the same night that John McCain gave his presidential nomination acceptance address. Love was narrowly defeated in the general election.

Shortly after graduating from Auburn University Montgomery with a Finance degree in 1992, Love entered the business world by opening his first Subway Sandwich store. Over the next 16 years, his business grew to include 16 Subway stores with more than 130 employees, which resulted in the Montgomery Chamber of Commerce naming him one of the “Top 40 Business Leaders Under 40.”

Love is married to the former Cheri Walker, and they have four children – Rachel, Addison, Rebecca and Caroline. He is a deacon at Montgomery’s First Baptist Church.